Oil Wars

Ongoing analysis of events in Venezuela and Iraq

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

What is the real Boliburguesia?

Flanker:Living in the world of logic one is leary of anecdotal and circumstantial evidence, but it seems it is the preferred method to propagandize about perceived corruption. Case in point the ramblings of a new elite, those that were poor before but now are rich all thanks to "corruption". The Boliburguesia.

Now granted this is more than enough for most, since both the international and local opposition constantly remind us of this every day. But are they being accurate? are these people really corrupt? I do not know, and while I will not pull a Francisco and blame the opposition for my lack of knowing, I will attempt to debunk the theory of unaccountability.

Almost two years ago I posited a query regarding chavista corruption and impunity, I asked for concrete examples, and I got two (no doubt the only thing that google spit out)

Jesus Caldera Infante, Currently facing an investigation for his stint at FOGADE, he is so desperate that he even ran for president and was on the ballot.

and

Tobias Nobrega, former finance minister, recently charged for shifty behavior regarding state purchases. The reaction was swift in the opposition sphere... as swift as any conspiracy theory can spring to life. link

So we have two cases of probable corruption from public workers, and as evidenced, there is no impunity.

But the Boliburguesia label includes the private sector as well, businessmen who despite the socialism surrounding them are quite capitalist in amassing wealth. Still capitalism is not illegal (and god knows it is what the opposition defends first and foremost) so we are left with accusations of business discrimination. This theory could make sense had the opposition not locked out x number of days from Dec 2001 till Spring 03, clearly they are unreliable business partners, and whatever whining Polar does for not being included in Mercals, can be justified as simply a logical business decision.

That said even though I do not claim capitalism==corrupution (though it is quite close if you think about it), and can therefore be ignored. The issue of impunity is very important.

Meet Gustavo Arraiz

President of Microstar, he achieved great riches the past 8 years, selling computers to the government, and through posh mall stores throughout Venezuela, he was also a chavista. Last year he fled the country since he was charged for importing ghost computers and defrauding CADIVI. Once caught in Panama the government showed no mercy in asking for his deportation which they did. Today he is a scared man, so scared he decided to donate to the government a very sweet piece of real estate... his other pet project Aeromall:

Here is the letter he published in Ultimas Noticias

In short:

*I donate the land and project, please finish it since I cannot in prison*You can build it with socialist companies.*I support your government, and he signs off with "Patria, socialism, or death"

To tell you the truth I kinda feel sorry for him, for even though he might be guilty, nobody is batting for him: The opposition (both foreign and domestic) never provided asylum claiming "political persecution", he is not a Posada Carriles (terrorism), The pair of plaza altamira officers (terrorism), Pedro Carmona (coup), Carlos Ortega (ilegal strike, false papers), Nixon Moreno (attempted rape) Patricia Poleo (coup, murder) etc. They will never face justice, therefore their impunity is real.